Mesial temporal tau is related to worse cognitive performance and greater neocortical tau load in amyloid-β–negative cognitively normal individuals
Abstract
© 2020 Elsevier Inc. We examined whether mesial temporal (Me) tau relates to cognitive performance in 47 amyloid-β (Aβ)-negative, cognitively normal older adults ( > 60 years old). Me-tau was measured using [18F]flortaucipir–positron emission tomography standardized uptake value ratio. The effect of continuous and categorical (stratified at standardized uptake value ratio = 1.2 [21% Me-positive]) Me-tau on cognition (mini-mental state examination, pre-Alzheimer's cognitive composite, a memory composite, and a nonmemory composite score) was examined using general linear models, and associations between Me-tau and [18F]flortaucipir signal in the neocortex were assessed using voxelwise regressions (continuous) and voxelwise contrasts (categorical). In addition, we assessed the effect of age and Aβ burden on Me-tau. Both continuous and categorical Me-tau was associated with worse cognitive performance across all tests and with higher lateral temporal and parietal [18F]flortaucipir signal. Furthermore, we observed a marginal association between Me-tau and age, whereas there was no association with Aβ burden. Our findings indicate that Me-tau in Aβ-negative cognitively normal individuals, which is likely age-related (i.e., primary age-related tauopathy), might not be as benign as commonly thought.
RAS ID
39588
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
2021
Volume
97
Funding Information
Funding information: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197458020302943?via%3Dihub#ack0010
PubMed ID
33130455
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences / Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care
Copyright
subscription content
Publisher
Elsevier
Comments
Groot, C., Doré, V., Robertson, J., Burnham, S. C., Savage, G., Ossenkoppele, R., ... Villemagne, V. L. (2021). Mesial temporal tau is related to worse cognitive performance and greater neocortical tau load in amyloid-β–negative cognitively normal individuals. Neurobiology of Aging, 97, 41-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.09.017